New Pakistan High Commissioner-designate Salman Bashir on Wednesday arrived in New Delhi  two months after his appointment was announced in Islamabad. Bashir,who retired as the foreign secretary of Pakistan in March this year,succeeds Shahid Malik.

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He was received at the airport by a representative of the Ministry of External Affairs,Pakistans Deputy High Commissioner Babar Amin and officers of the Pakistan High Commission,a High Commission statement said.

Bashir,60,was Pakistans foreign secretary for four years,from April 2008 to March 2012. He also served as Pakistan Ambassador to Denmark,Lithuania,China and Mongolia.

During his stint in Beijing,he developed a rapport with Indian ambassador to China Nirupama Rao. That came handy when Rao and Bashir became foreign secretaries and the dialogue process between India and Pakistan was resumed,which was stalled after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Bashir also served at Pakistans Mission to the United Nations in Geneva as well as at the OIC in Jeddah. He has held important positions at the Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs,including that of Additional Secretary for the Asia-Pacific.